by Richard Karpel , USATODAY

by Richard Karpel , USATODAY

Millions of people of varying religious beliefs practice yoga and find that it enhances their spiritual life. Millions of others view it strictly as physical exercise and an aid to mindfulness.

Most of them would be baffled at the notion that yoga has anything to do with religion. "People come to our studios to get into shape and relieve stress," says Brandon Hartsell, chairman of Yoga Alliance and the owner of Sunstone Yoga, which has 12 locations in the Dallas area. "They are not looking for a religious experience."

Yet, in Encinitas, Calif., the parents of one child, backed by a Christian defense organization, have sued the Encinitas Union School District claiming a physical education program that includes bi-weekly yoga sessions constitutes religious indoctrination. The plaintiffs allege that the School District's decision to include yoga in its P.E. classes "unlawfully promotes religious beliefs, while disfavoring and discriminating against other religions," in violation of the California Constitution's religious freedom provisions. Because the suit portrays yoga as inherently religious in nature, it could deter yoga programs in schools across the U.S., with a potential impact extending far beyond southern California.

Like many scholars of yoga and religion, Christopher Chapple, professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University, says that yoga is a non-sectarian practice. The Yoga Sutras, the most commonly cited classical text that forms the basis for both traditional and contemporary yoga philosophy, make no specific theological claims, according to Chapple. It is the non-sectarian nature of this text that has allowed it to resonate for more than 1,500 years, he says.

In fact, those like Chapple -- who have taken the time to study the texts of yoga, the context in which it was created and how it evolved into the modern practice it is today -- all say the same thing: Yoga is for everyone.

Although it doesn't always mean the same thing to everyone.

Philip Goldberg, an author and ordained Interfaith Minister who has studied the migration of yoga from India to the U.S., recently noted that diversity of style and meaning is one of the defining characteristics of modern yoga. "'Yoga' means different things to different people, has a broad spectrum of applications and can legitimately be presented in a variety of formats, contexts and rubrics," he wrote. "In fact, its adaptability is among its greatest strengths."

Mark Singleton, a yoga scholar who teaches at St. John's College in Santa Fe, notes that many of the influential pioneers of modern hatha yoga insisted on its non-sectarian, democratic and secular nature, and sometimes had an aversion to the association of yoga with religion. This, says Singleton, is in keeping with the anti-sectarian spirit of early Indian hatha yoga.

It is also consistent with the yoga being taught to students in Encinitas. "We're not teaching religion," said EUSD Superintendent Timothy Baird. "We teach a very mainstream physical fitness program that happens to incorporate yoga into it. It's part of our overall wellness program. The vast majority of students and parents support it."

And why wouldn't they support it? The physical and mental well-being of our children is just as important as their intellectual development, which is why contemporary education movements seek to shift the focus of education policy from academic achievement to nurturing the overall development of children.

Yoga fits in quite well with this vision. Research demonstrates that it has a positive impact on children's concentration, demeanor, physical health and attitude. It's hardly surprising, then, that yoga-in-school programs, like the Washington, D.C.-based YoKid.org, are widely praised by both teachers and parents.

The great majority of scholars of religion and yoga refute the plaintiffs' claim in the Encinitas case -- that yoga is "inherently and pervasively religious." Yoga can clearly be practiced in harmony with any religion, or with no religion, and is diverse and flexible enough to adapt to any setting. "There are a vast range of reasons why people do yoga," says Philip Goldberg, "from very secular, practical, body-oriented people, to the most spiritual people on the planet, and everything in between. And it serves all of those purposes because these are universal teachings."

Richard Karpel is the president and CEO of Yoga Alliance, the Arlington, Va.-based nonprofit organization that represents and credentials yoga teachers, schools and studios.

In addition to its own editorials, USA TODAY publishes diverse opinions from outside writers, including our Board of Contributors.